International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Article Race Performance Prediction from the Physiological Profile in National Level Youth Cross-Country Cyclists Gerardo Gabriel Mirizio 1, Rodrigo Muñoz 2, Leandro Muñoz 3, Facundo Ahumada 3 and Juan Del Coso 4,* 1 Muscle Cell Physiology Laboratory, Centre of Molecular Studies of the Cell, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile;
[email protected] 2 School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Finis Terrae, Providencia, Santiago 7501015, Chile;
[email protected] 3 Department of Investigation and Development (I + D), International Endurance Group, Córdoba 5009, Argentina;
[email protected] (L.M.);
[email protected] (F.A.) 4 Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, Fuenlabrada, 28942 Madrid, Spain * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: Cross-country mountain biking is an Olympic sport discipline with high popularity among elite and amateur cyclists. However, there is a scarcity of data regarding the key determinants of performance, particularly in young cross-country cyclists. The aim of this study was to examine the physiological profile of youth national-level cross-country cyclists and to determine those variables that were able to best predict the performance in an official race. Ten youth cross-country cyclists of a national team underwent a complete evaluation that included anthropometric assessments, laboratory tests to evaluate the wattage at blood lactate thresholds and at maximal oxygen uptake (POVO2max), Citation: Mirizio, G.G.; Muñoz, R.; and field tests to make an in-depth power profile of the athletes. The data obtained in the above- Muñoz, L.; Ahumada, F.; Del Coso, J.